Locate an Auto Repair Shop in West New York, New Jersey

West New York, NJ Car Consumer Discussions

Re: gagrice... [steve_]

by ruking1 on Mon Nov 17 08:38:10 PST 2008

Years ago, I got certified on a flatbed 48 ft (not counting the yoke) trailer tractor rig, in the dead of an upstate New York winter. ;) :shades:

Re: 1995-2000 Toyota Frame Rust Buy-Back Program [david311]

by daleyplanit on Mon Nov 03 07:17:39 PST 2008

First - for those intending to write those safety complaints (GREAT advice) here is a list of contacts. Because I live in NY my list is based on NY agencies, but every state has them. Contacts Division of Economic Justice Consumer Frauds and Protection Bureau State of New York Office of Attorney General Andrew Cuomo The Capital Albany, NY 12224-0341 Director of Constituent Services New York State Senator Neil Breslin Capitol Building, Room 414 Albany, NY 12247 NYS Consumer Protection Board Albany Office New York State Consumer Protection Board 5 Empire State Plaza, Suite 2101 Albany, New York 12223 United States Federal Trade Commission Federal Trade Commission Consumer Response Center 600 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW Washington, DC 20580 National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Office of Defects Investigation 1200 New Jersey Avenue SE West Building Washington, DC 20590 Better Business Bureau of the Southland 315 N. La Cadena Colton CA 92324-2927 60 Minutes 524 West 57th St. New York, NY 10019 The Advocate Times Union Newsroom PO Box 15000 Albany, NY 12212 advocate@timesunion.com. (518) 454-5700 US Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton 476 Russell Senate Office Building Washington, DC 20510 Attention: Constituent Services US Senator Charles Schumer 757 Third Avenue, Suite 17-02 New York, NY 10017 State Assembly Representative John McEneny LOB 648 Albany, NY 12248 518-455-4178 NYS DMV Traffic Safety Division of Vehicle Safety Services Department of Motor Vehicles P.O. Box 2700-ESP, Albany, NY 12220-0700 Office of the District Attorney Albany County Judicial Building 6 Lodge Street Albany, NY 12207 Telephone: (518) 487-5460 Fax: (518) 487-5093 WNYT P.O. Box 403, Albany, NY 12204 Second - it is true Toyota is not buying back trucks bought after the recall because of flipping. I've heard many accounts of it on forums I subscribe to. The 150% deal is also, in many cases, sadly off the table. In reuttal - the 150% value isn's all it's cracked up to be - Toyota isn't using KBB value. Again, by truck was worth $14k in february (when I was looking for a doublecab). It was worth $12 in August. Now Toyota is offering me $10 without even looking at it. I just spent $600 in new shocks and brakes. It has a long list of factory options. Toyota tells me they won't give me the $1000 towards a new car. I cannot drive my truck - it will take Toyota 7 weeks to process my check. This is not an annomaly. If your facing a buy-back prepare for a long fight. For another author cited recent repairs and new tires - toyota will no comp you for this like a buyer in the private market would. Month by month Toyota has been cutting buyback offers, scaling back who is included in the buyback, and in some cases, making exceptions. Buybacks (cite the policy bulletin) are not overseen by the NHTSA admin like recalls. Toyota is not legally bound by any means. I agree it's good of them to do this - but all you need to do is watch or read fight club to see the nefariousness of their hidden agenda. "A new car built by my company leaves somewhere traveling at 60 mph. The rear differential locks up. The car crashes and burns with everyone trapped inside. Now, should we initiate a recall? Take the number of vehicles in the field, A, multiply by the probable rate of failure, B, multiply by the average out-of-court settlement, C. A times B times C equals X. If X is less than the cost of a recall, we don't do one. " Before long there won't be any 1995-2000 Tacomas on the road in rust-belt states. That will be a good thing - I don't want to share the road with them. What will happen to the 2001 and newer series II trucks when they start failing on the road? I don't know - but I won't be driving one.

Re: [m4d_cow]

by billsoter on Sun Nov 02 07:17:17 PST 2008

You shouldn't have gotten off cars in the first place. One terrorist attack??? How about all of these: History of terrorist attacks against US interests we did nothing about. or how Jimmy Carter, Ronald Reagan and Bill Clinton did nothing..... 1979 Nov. 4, Tehran, Iran: Iranian radical students seized the U.S. embassy, taking 66 hostages. 14 were later released. The remaining 52 were freed after 444 days on the day of President Reagan's inauguration. 1982-1991 Lebanon: Thirty US and other Western hostages kidnapped in Lebanon by Hezbollah. Some were killed, some died in captivity, and some were eventually released. Terry Anderson was held for 2,454 days. 1983 April 18, Beirut, Lebanon: U.S. embassy destroyed in suicide car-bomb attack; 63 dead, including 17 Americans. The Islamic Jihad claimed responsibility. Oct. 23, Beirut, Lebanon: Shiite suicide bombers exploded truck near U.S. military barracks at Beirut airport, killing 241 marines. Minutes later a second bomb killed 58 French paratroopers in their barracks in West Beirut. Dec. 12, Kuwait City, Kuwait: Shiite truck bombers attacked the U.S. embassy and other targets, killing 5 and injuring 80. 1984 Sept. 20, east Beirut, Lebanon: truck bomb exploded outside the U.S. embassy annex, killing 24, including 2 U.S. military. 1988 Dec. 21, Lockerbie, Scotland: N.Y.-bound Pan-Am Boeing 747 exploded in flight from a terrorist bomb and crashed into Scottish village, killing all 259 aboard and 11 on the ground. Passengers included 35 Syracuse University students and many U.S. military personnel. Libya formally admitted responsibility 15 years later (Aug. 2003) and offered $2.7 billion compensation to victims' families. 1993 Feb. 26, New York City: bomb exploded in basement garage of World Trade Center, killing 6 and injuring at least 1,040 others. In 1995, militant Islamist Sheik Omar Abdel Rahman and 9 others were convicted of conspiracy charges, and in 1998, Ramzi Yousef, believed to have been the mastermind, was convicted of the bombing. Al-Qaeda involvement is suspected. 1995 Nov. 13, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia: car bomb exploded at U.S. military headquarters, killing 5 U.S. military servicemen. 1996 June 25, Dhahran, Saudi Arabia: truck bomb exploded outside Khobar Towers military complex, killing 19 American servicemen and injuring hundreds of others. 13 Saudis and a Lebanese, all alleged members of Islamic militant group Hezbollah, were indicted on charges relating to the attack in June 2001. 1998 Aug. 7, Nairobi, Kenya, and Dar es Salaam, Tanzania: truck bombs exploded almost simultaneously near 2 U.S. embassies, killing 224 (213 in Kenya and 11 in Tanzania) and injuring about 4,500. 4 men connected with al-Qaeda 2 of whom had received training at al-Qaeda camps inside Afghanistan, were convicted of the killings in May 2001 and later sentenced to life in prison. A federal grand jury had indicted 22 men in connection with the attacks, including Saudi dissident Osama bin Laden, who remained at large. 2000 Oct. 12, Aden, Yemen: U.S. Navy destroyer USS Cole heavily damaged when a small boat loaded with explosives blew up alongside it. 17 sailors killed. Linked to Osama bin Laden, or members of al-Qaeda terrorist network. 2001 Sept. 11, New York City, Arlington, Va., and Shanksville, Pa.: hijackers crashed 2 commercial jets into twin towers of World Trade Center; 2 more hijacked jets were crashed into the Pentagon and a field in rural Pa. Total dead and missing numbered 2,9921: 2,749 in New York City, 184 at the Pentagon, 40 in Pa., and 19 hijackers. Islamic al-Qaeda terrorist group blamed. (See September 11, 2001: Timeline of Terrorism Also, BO is a committed Marxist. NOW let's get back to cars!

Re: global warming a croc [sidious6688]

by ruking1 on Mon Oct 27 20:47:50 PDT 2008

The 1970's were the decade of dire predictions of global winter. You almost could not graduate college, unless you took at least one course about it and mouthed the mantra. :lemon: along with all power to the people! (wonder how they granted folks like me the degree. ) Then, they got me back by shipping me to upstate New York (during the winter, GEEZ) Over population would bring the DEEP freeze, yada yada, etc.. Must be global warming now that we got rid of lead in leaded regular and now use RUG? ;)

On the other hand....gassers are not doing so well...

by ruking1 on Thu Oct 02 12:19:58 PDT 2008

"GM sales fall 16% and that's the good news FORD, CHRYSLER OFF 30%-PLUS"... (on line version) "Toyota, Ford, Chrysler's September sales each fall more than 30 percent" link title by Nick Bunkley New York Times VW TDI sales sell ALL they can get!

Re: Smart ForTwo, 10 years 1 million sold [gagrice]

by larsb on Wed Sep 17 07:10:06 PDT 2008

You want some REAL reasons? OK, here they are. Doubt them at your peril. Why are diesel fuel prices higher than gasoline prices? Historically, the average price of diesel fuel has been lower than the average price of gasoline. However, this is not always the case. In some winters where the demand for distillate heating oil is high, the price of diesel fuel has risen above the gasoline price. Since September 2004, the price of diesel fuel has been generally higher than the price of regular gasoline all year round for several reasons. Worldwide demand for diesel fuel and other distillate fuel oils has been increasing steadily, with strong demand in China, Europe, and the United States, putting more pressure on the tight global refining capacity. In the United States, the transition to ultra-low-sulfur diesel fuel has affected diesel fuel production and distribution costs. Also, the Federal excise tax on diesel fuel is 6 cents higher per gallon (24.4 cents per gallon) than the tax on gasoline Why are West Coast diesel fuel prices higher and more variable than others? Diesel prices on the West Coast, especially in California (CA), are relatively higher than other regions of the country, partly because of taxes, but mainly because of supply issues. The State of California assesses a combined State and local sales and use tax of 7.25 percent on top of the 24.4 cents/gallon Federal excise tax and an 18.0 cents/gallon State tax. Washington’s tax of 34 cents/gallon is one of the highest in the country. Besides taxes, West Coast retail prices are more variable than others because there are relatively few supply sources: 21 of the 36 refineries located in West Coast states are in CA. California refineries need to be running at near full capacity just to meet in-state demand. If more than one refinery in the region experiences operating difficulties at the same time, the diesel supply may become very tight and prices may spike. The West Coast’s substantial distance from Gulf coast and foreign refineries is such that any unusual increase in demand or reduction in supply results in a large price response in the market before relief supplies can be delivered. The farther away the necessary That came from THIS page. More: Another explanation True. However, there are a few factors driving up the cost of diesel. First of all, much of the diesel used in the U.S. is refined in Europe, where, due to favorable tax policies and fuel efficiency, diesel cars have made a major comeback. This increases demand for diesel fuel. Meanwhile, here in the states high gas prices have led Americans to consume less gasoline. In turn, refineries have scaled back their overall production to adjust to the lessened demand. However, the demand for diesel fuel remains the same even though refineries are processing less fuel overall. Lawrence Goldstein of the Energy Policy Research Foundation told The New York Times that "it is as if sirloin had become so expensive that demand dropped, so farmers raised fewer cows, reducing the supply of hamburger — but hamburger remained as popular as ever." It is also important to note that the federal excise tax on diesel is six cents higher per gallon than gasoline, according to the Department of Energy. High diesel prices create an interesting conundrum for carmakers like Mercedes and BMW, which are trying to bring clean diesel vehicles to the U.S. These vehicles, while efficient, might now face a tough consumer response. And: From the NY Times It’s because higher prices affect demand for each oil product differently, and diesel is “the one product the world really wants,” said Lawrence J. Goldstein, a director of the Energy Policy Research Foundation, a nonprofit group financed by oil producers, refiners and marketers, with some government help. The price spread has attracted the attention of Congress. This month, John Felmy, chief economist of the American Petroleum Institute, an industry trade association, testified before the highway subcommittee of the House Transportation Committee. “U.S. overall petroleum demand, including demand for gasoline, has flattened,” he said. “However, in the U.S., demand for diesel has remained strong.” He added: “This follows a long-term trend here and around the world. Over the past five years, U.S. demand for highway diesel has been rising at triple the rate of gasoline.” Part of the American demand for transportation fuel is met by refineries in Europe, a link that usually helps keep prices down. But demand for diesel is rising in Europe as passenger car ownership and use there grow; many of those newly purchased vehicles are diesel-powered, a choice that had been encouraged by tax policy there. As a result, production at European refineries is geared toward processing crude oil to meet the demand for diesel. That produces surplus gasoline, which the refineries export to the East Coast of the United States, experts said. That does nothing for diesel supply here.